“Are you allergic to anything?” the woman asked.
Hannah shook her head, even though the effort hurt. “No.”
There were people moving around and her arm felt cold. She looked down and saw the needle and line running from it. The paramedic had put that IV in, hadn’t she?
“I’m Doctor Morrison,” the woman in the lab coat told her. “I’m going to stitch up your wounds. They seem to have bled a lot, but the wound doesn’t seem to be as deep as the paramedics thought.”
That was because her body was already healing itself. She closed her eyes and nodded. “Get on with it.”
“We need to get her blood typed.”
Hannah’s eyes flew open. “No.”
The doctor’s eyes widened and then narrowed. “You lost a lot of blood. You need a transfusion.”
She shook her head. No way she could allow them to take her blood. Her father had drilled that into her head for years. “No blood test and no blood. Stitch me up so I can get out of here.”
A werewolf had attacked her. It was time for her to get out of town. The quicker the better.
“I don’t think you fully understand the situation, Ms. Burdette,” the doctor began.
“It’s you who don’t understand the situation, doctor. If I’m not stitched up within the next few minutes, I’ll be leaving on my own.” Adrenaline was kicking in and giving her a much needed boost of energy.
She sensed everyone else in the treatment bay listening to them, but she didn’t back down. Hannah stared at the doctor, until she finally looked away. “Fine. It’s your life, but I don’t recommend it and will be making a note in your file of your not complying with my instructions.”
“You do that.” Hannah hated to argue with the doctor, but there was more on the line than the woman could ever imagine.
“Can I numb the area or do you want me to just stick the needle in and sew?” Dr. Morrison asked.
Hannah laughed and then groaned when her stomach hurt. “I wouldn’t mind a local.”
“You wouldn’t mind a local,” the doctor muttered. She took a needle a nurse handed her and gently eased it into Hannah’s stomach. She withdrew it and did it again in several spots. “But you’d probably be okay if I didn’t use one. Who do you think you are? Rambo?”
Hannah bit her bottom lip to keep from laughing again. She was nothing like the character from the old Stallone movie, not nearly as tough. She was only doing what she had to in order to survive.
Surgical gloves on, the doctor held a curved needle in her hand. “Ready?”
She nodded. “Ready.”
It went faster and more smoothly than she thought it would. Dr. Morrison really was good at her job. She made dozens of stitches, sewing together the jagged skin from the four gouges that tracked across her torso and stomach.
“I’ve never seen anything like this before.”
Hannah tensed at the doctor’s words. “What do you mean?”
“These wounds don’t look like they’re from a knife. They’re more jagged. On close inspection, they look more like you were attacked by an animal.”
Hannah closed her eyes and ignored the doctor as she and her team continued to work. She had no idea what they were pumping into her. The IV had been steady for quite some time. Probably antibiotics of some kind and maybe painkillers along with the fluids. Not that it mattered. Her own body would kill any infection and the painkillers would run through her system at a rapid rate. She’d just have to deal with the pain until it subsided.
Thankfully, whatever was in the needle they’d used to numb the wound area didn’t start to dissipate until just before the last stitch was set. The doctor set aside the needle and wrapped the area, winding the bandage around her as a nurse helped her sit upright.
“I’d suggest you stay in hospital overnight for observation and to receive a transfusion. That wound could easily become infected. But I get the feeling that won’t be happening.” She pulled off her gloves and tossed them into a biohazard container.
“I need to get out of here.” The quicker the better.
The doctor nodded. “Okay, here’s what’s going to happen. You’re going to rest while I get the paperwork done. I’m going to write you a prescription for antibiotics. I suggest you have it filled and take them all if you don’t want to end up back here.”
Even though she had no intention of taking the medication, she nodded. Anything to get her out of here quicker. The doctor stared hard at her for a long moment, as if to gauge Hannah’s honesty, and then turned and left.
The nurse beside Hannah urged her to lie back down. “Why don’t you rest another minute?”
She started to pull up the thin sheet, but Hannah stopped her. “I need something to wear.” Her sweater and bra were in bloody pieces in the biohazard bag.
“I’ll get you a scrub top.” The nurse left, pulling the curtain closed. Hannah would have felt more comfortable with walls around her. She looked up at the IV, wanting to pull it out, but figured that would only get her into more trouble with the doctor. Better to leave well enough alone. If Dr. Morrison took longer than fifteen minutes, she’d pull out the line and leave.
“Here we go.” The nurse was back with a thin blue top in her hand. “This will work and it’s loose so it will fit easily over your bandage.
“Thank you.” Hannah looked at the woman’s ID tag. “Nurse Jones.” The woman was tall and broad, with dark skin and a sparkling smile.
“You’re welcome. You’ve had one heck of a morning, haven’t you?”
Hannah couldn’t help but smile. “That’s one way of putting it.” She let the nurse help her sit upright and slip the garment over her head. It took some maneuvering, and the nurse disconnected the IV long enough for her to pull on the top. It was loose and comfortable. It slipped down over one shoulder and she tugged it back up.
“It’s not perfect, but it will get you home.” The nurse patted her arm and checked the monitors. “I’m going to let you rest for a few minutes while you’re waiting on the doctor. She won’t be long. Dr. Morrison is pretty efficient.”
Hannah nodded and closed her eyes. She wanted to sleep. Her body craved it. Eight hours of uninterrupted rest and a good meal would go a long way toward her recovery. She might not have the healing powers of her father, but she was stronger than any human. Her body was repairing itself, slowly and meticulously. She could feel the muscle and skin knitting back together beneath the bandage. The stitches would be ready to come out in a couple of days at most.
She’d never been sick a day in her life. Her father had told her that werewolves didn’t get human illnesses. Beheading them, breaking their neck, or cutting out their heart could kill them. She shivered and pulled the thin sheet up to her chin.
She didn’t think she was strong enough or brave enough to do any of those things to the man who’d attacked her. Which left her with only one option—run.
Memories of the attack assailed her and she flinched. Her eyes flew open, and she rubbed her hands up and down her arms. The IV was beginning to annoy her. She didn’t like the way it impeded her movement.
The man had been tall and broad and had moved with the fluid gait of a predator. It had been years since she’d seen anyone who’d moved like that. Not since her father had left her.
She closed her eyes again, but they snapped open when all she could see was cruel golden eyes that promised nothing but pain and death. She had no idea who he was, but he wanted to kill her. It wasn’t fair, but then nobody ever said life was.
Her knapsack.
Panic filled her as she gazed around the room. She’d had it in the ambulance. She distinctly remembered David passing it to her. She didn’t see it.
Heart racing, Hannah threw her legs over the side of the bed and eased off the mattress. Her eyes landed on the battered leather bag sitting on t
he floor by the head of the bed. It was tucked safely out of the way.
She bent down, ignoring the way her stomach ached and her head throbbed. The room started to spin. She grabbed her backpack and lifted it onto the bed. A wave of nausea swept over her as she opened the bag and checked out the contents. It was all there.
She gave a sigh of relief and leaned against the bed.
She needed to get out of here. Now. Her instincts were screaming at her to move. The sense that something was about to happen was growing with each passing second.
Where was the doctor?
Hannah stared at the IV in her arm. It was time. She untapped the line and pulled the needle out. The machine began to beep.
“You can’t go in there.” She recognized the nurse’s voice. “Sir?” Nurse Jones was getting closer.
Hannah picked up her knapsack and swung it over her shoulder. Every muscle in her body quivered. Her stomach ached but she ignored the pain. She had bigger problems than her wounds.
The curtain was yanked open and a man filled the space. At least six-two, maybe more, he was wearing black slacks, a white dress shirt, and a sport coat, but there was no hiding the fact that he was lethal. His brown hair fell to his shoulders, his jaw was strong and square, and his cheekbones were hard slashes on his face. But it was his eyes that caught and held her. They were the eyes of a predator.
Their gazes met and held. Hannah felt the world begin to spin. He leapt toward her, and she held up her hand to ward him off.
But he wasn’t attacking her. He lifted her gently and placed her back on the bed.
He was so close she could scent his woodsy soap. It held no chemical undertones but was totally natural. Beneath that scent, she could smell the man himself—warm and musky and…other.
She jerked her head up and looked more closely at his eyes. He met her stare unflinchingly.
Whoever this man was, he was no man. He was a wolf.
Chapter Five
Reece couldn’t stop staring at the woman on the bed. It had been an automatic response to grab her when she started to go down. What wasn’t automatic was the fact he hadn’t wanted to let her go.
No, what he’d wanted to do was lift her into his arms and carry her away from here. He didn’t want anyone else around her. Neither did his wolf.
Perched on the edge of the bed, she looked just as stunned as he felt. Her red hair was pulled back in a braid that fell to just below her shoulders and her blue eyes were as brilliant as the sky on a hot summer’s day.
But it was her scent that wrapped around him, chaining him in place. Beneath the antiseptic stench of the hospital, the blood and sweat, sickness and death, there was another note. One that made him lean closer and sniff.
She jerked back and then wrapped her arms around her middle and groaned. What the fuck was he doing invading her personal space? She was the victim to a violent crime. He knew it was wrong, but he couldn’t seem to stop himself.
“Gallagher.”
He heard Sean calling him but it was as though it was from a long distance. The woman in front of him had all his attention, because she was more than just a woman, she was a wolf. A half-breed, if his nose wasn’t deceiving him. The scent of a half-breed differed slightly, wasn’t quite as strong as a normal werewolf.
Right there was the motive for the attack.
“Reece.” Sean grabbed his arm and pulled him back. He whirled around and barely kept from striking out at his partner. Sean stepped back and held his hands up in front of him. “Hey, buddy. Is there a problem?”
He shook his head. He had to get a grip on himself. “No problem.”
“What’s going on in here?” the doctor demanded as she stepped around the curtain. The nurse who’d tried to stop them must have gotten her.
Reece pulled aside his jacket to reveal his badge. “Police, ma’am. We need to talk with Ms. Burdette.”
The doctor scowled at him. “You should have spoken with me first.”
He inclined his head. “Sorry about that. We were just worried about her.” He turned back to the bed to find Hannah watching him. He didn’t like the fear in her eyes. It stopped him cold.
Of course she was afraid of him. The last wolf she’d met had tried to kill her.
“Everything is okay,” he assured her. “We need to get your statement about what happened this morning.” He slowly held out his hand. “I’m Detective Gallagher. Reece Gallagher.”
She licked her lips and his body immediately responded. His dick swelled and he turned his body slightly away from the others, grateful his sport coat was long enough to partially shield is growing erection.
She still looked apprehensive but at least she no longer looked as though she was preparing to bolt at any second. “Hannah Burdette.” She briefly touched her fingers to his before pulling them back.
“Sean O’Malley.” His partner introduced himself, and Hannah nodded at him.
The doctor made a noise of frustration. “Now that we all know one another, I need to see to my patient.” She maneuvered herself in front of Reece, forcing him to take a step back. “I see you removed your own IV.” The doctor turned off the beeping machine and pushed it aside.
“Yeah, sorry about that.”
Reece closed his eyes and savored the sound of Hannah’s voice. It slid over him like a warm sheet on a cool night. He wanted to tug it around him and hold it close.
His eyes flew back open. He needed to get his head on straight. Hannah was a victim and he was a cop.
Not for much longer, a tiny voice in the back of his head reminded him. It was then he noticed how quiet his wolf had gotten. The creature was on high alert, ready to respond to the slightest threat to Hannah.
He shook his head and focused on the doctor who was talking to Hannah. “Sign this.” She thrust some papers toward Hannah. “It basically says we treated you and you signed yourself out against my recommendation.”
“Should you do that?” Sean asked, moving closer to Hannah. It took everything inside Reece not to shove his partner aside. Hannah calmly took the pen the doctor offered her and scribbled her name on the line at the bottom of the page.
Reece knew why Hannah was checking herself out of hospital, why she was in a hurry to leave. She knew what had attacker her, but had she known who it was?
“Did you know your attacker?” he asked. Catching a suspect off guard was a good way of getting a truthful answer. Hannah wasn’t a suspect but the same rules applied.
“No.” She shook her head and then wrapped her arms around herself. “What else?” she asked the doctor.
Doctor Morrison handed her a smaller piece of paper. “Get this prescription filled. You don’t want those wounds to get infected.”
Hannah nodded, but Reece knew she wouldn’t bother with the drugs. She didn’t need them.
The doctor sighed and clutched the signed papers in one hand. “I’d feel better if you had someone to watch out for you. At least for the first twenty-four hours.”
“She won’t be alone,” Reece promised her. “I’ll take care of it.”
He could almost hear Sean thinking, “What the fuck?” He didn’t say it out loud. He didn’t have to. Reece never got involved with a victim. He never got personally involved, period.
This was different. Hannah wasn’t just a normal victim. She was a female werewolf, a half-breed who needed his help. No one else could protect her like he could.
“We’ll take you home,” he told her.
She was still wary and glanced at Sean before nodding. “Thank you,” she told the doctor.
Hannah slid off the bed, pressing her hand against it while she steadied herself. “Can I help?” Sean offered.
She shook her head. “No, I’m fine.” She straightened, turned, and started walking away.
There was a battered leather
knapsack over her shoulder. Reece’s gaze arrowed in on it right away. He stopped dead in his tracks. From behind, he could see the blue of the hospital scrubs, the long line of her legs encased in jeans, the end of her braid hanging down her back and the battered bag over her shoulder.
If someone had hit him over the head with a two-by-four, he wouldn’t have been more stunned. He stopped cold in his tracks, unable to take a step forward.
It was his dream come to life. Hannah was the woman he’d dreamed about all those years ago. It was the same image of the woman walking down the hospital corridor.
She was the reason he’d come to Chicago and had lived here for more than a decade. She was why he’d never been able to settle down in North Carolina.
And he’d almost missed her. In two weeks, he would have been gone from Chicago. The thought made his blood grow cold. What made him even angrier was the fact she’d been attacked. His heart pounded and, inside him, his wolf howled.
She was his to protect. The reason for everything he’d done his entire adult life.
And she was currently walking away from him.
He hurried after her, only slowing when he was by her side. He was still reeling from his revelation but was outwardly steady. She looked up at him and there was no disguising the fear and unease in her eyes.
“I won’t let anyone hurt you. I promise.” He didn’t make promises easily but this was one he’d die to keep. “Do you understand me?”
Of course she didn’t. She was scared to death of him and rightfully so. It was up to him to make her understand just how important she was and that he meant every word he said.
She just looked away and kept on putting one foot in front of the other. Sean opened the door leading to the waiting room. Her boss was there, this time wearing a shirt.
“Hannah,” David spoke her name as he came forward and lightly hugged her. “Should you be going home? I gave them all your insurance information and whatever it doesn’t cover, I will.”
Wolf in her Soul: Salvation Pack, Book 8 Page 5